Swing into Spring - It's a Party #217

Welcome to this week's Swing into Spring party.

Last week's party was filled with so many awesome ideas and inspiration.

Here are this week's features:

HOME DECOR:

Poofing the Pillows showed some blogging love by showing off new blogger Life on the Shady Grove's beautiful home.  

FURNITURE TRANSFORMATIONS:

Small little tweaks make all the difference shared a tutorial on how she transformed an ottoman.

TASTY TREATS:

Her Organized Chaos shared a recipe for these delicious looking maple cinnamon rolls with candied bacon.  Yummy!

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button.  You can find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header.  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes, etc.  I will keep this link open through Friday.

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers as well).

2.  Please link back to the party.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have, and the more views your posts will receive.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4.  Please visit others who have linked up.  Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

Swing into Spring - It's a Party #216

Welcome to this week's Swing into Spring party.

Last week's party was filled with so many awesome ideas and inspiration.

Here are this week's features:

HOME DECOR:

Vintage Finds shares her gorgeous dining room all dressed up for spring.

FURNITURE TRANSFORMATIONS:

Feathering My Nest gives a step by step tutorial on how to create a tea cup lamp.  Awesome!

CRAFTY CREATIONS:

Annemarie's Haakblog gives a tutorial on how to create these super cute crocheted paper clips.

TASTY TREATS:

One Little Project shares some of the best strawberry recipes.

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button.  You can find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header.  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes, etc.  I will keep this link open through Friday.

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers as well).

2.  Please link back to the party.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have, and the more views your posts will receive.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4.  Please visit others who have linked up.  Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

Swing into Spring - It's a Party # 215

Welcome to this week's Swing into Spring party.

Last week's party was filled with so many awesome ideas and inspiration.

Here are this week's features:

HOME DECOR:

Home Decor Designs shares lots of great rooms with focal walls.

FURNITURE TRANSFORMATIONS:

Simply Vintageous...bySuzan transformed a hutch into a bookcase.  Very clever!

CRAFTY CREATIONS:

The Pin Junkie shares fifteen beautiful spring wreaths.  

TASTY TREATS:

Lambert Lately shared a recipe for strawberry cake mix pancakes.  Yummy!

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button.  You can find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header.  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes, etc.  I will keep this link open through Friday.

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers as well).

2.  Please link back to the party.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have, and the more views your posts will receive.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4.  Please visit others who have linked up.  Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

Master Bathroom Updates Continue - DIY Faux Granite

I'm on a mission to update our master bathroom spending as little as possible with maximum bang for my buck.  Last week I added feet and handles to the vanity in our master bathroom.  You can check that out here.

This week I've partnered with DesignYourWalls.com to transform my vanity top to get the granite look I've been longing for.

Here is the vanity before with a laminate top.

This project took me less than an hour and completely transformed the look of my vanity.  I chose the beige granite from the DesignYourWalls website.  

I started by completely clearing the vanity top and making sure the surface was clean and dry.  The paper was not as deep as my countertop so I was strategic in how I laid out the paper.  The paper measures 18" x 49.5 feet so I had plenty of length so I didn't worry about making any cuts. It's self adhesive and repositionable so it's forgiving and allows you to move it about until you get it into the perfect position.

I didn't want any seams near the front so I adhered and wrapped the paper around the front of the countertop.  This product is similar to contact paper, but much thicker and more substantial.  It also doesn't stick to itself like most contact paper does so it's very easy to work with.

The key to success is making sure there aren't any bubbles.  Because the paper is a bit thicker it is very easy to avoid any bubbles.  I used an exacto knife to cut around the sink. I then took another piece of paper and matched up the seam and wrapped the back half of the vanity in the same way.

Voila!  Instant granite.  I was super careful making sure the back seams lined up exactly and it's nearly impossible to find now that it's all down.  I butted the two edges up together, not overlapping because that would have shown.  Even running my hand along it, it is very hard to find the seams.  I am super impressed with this product.

Here is a closeup.  It really does look like granite.  It even has the sheen of granite.  It's completely waterproof so it should be very practical as well. In the event my tastes change it's also removable which is great.  I was afraid to try one of those faux granite paints...too permanent for me.  

What a huge difference this faux granite makes to the bathroom.  

DesignYourWalls has tons of options including a split stone paper...

and a marble paper (I definitely want to try this one next).

They have lots of other products too including wallpaper, wall decals, and window film to just name a few.  

It's really a great product and DesignYourWalls is a great website.  Hope you will check it out.

Can't wait to hear what you think of my new granite vanity top.

-Judy

DesignYourWalls sent me a roll of granite paper, however the opinions expressed are all my own.

Bathroom Vanity Makeover for Under $50

I have been wanting to renovate the master bathroom for a while now, but after pricing it out and getting quotes in the $35,000 range, I have decided to table it for now.  One of the things that was a must have in my bathroom reno plans was a vanity that looked like a piece of furniture.  I love the look of legs on a piece of furniture.  I went into my local hardware store to see if I could find something that would fit the bill. 

Sure enough I came across these.  They were perfect.  They were the exact height I needed under the vanity in my master bathroom.

Here is the only before photo I have of the vanity.  It was a plain builders grade vanity.

I painted the feet a semi gloss white I already had in the house and literally wedged it under the vanity.  It fit perfectly.  Not too tight and not too loose.  

I also changed out the hardware on the cabinet doors.

Here is a closeup.

Can't wait to hear what you think.

-Judy

Swing into Spring - It's a Party #214

Welcome to this week's Swing into Spring party.

Last week's party was filled with so many awesome ideas and inspiration.

Here are this week's features:

HOME DECOR:

Gates of Crystal shares how she transformed a Bergere chair for her living room.

FURNITURE TRANSFORMATIONS:

Vintage Finds transformed a china cabinet into this beauty.

CRAFTY CREATIONS:

Must Love Home created these super cute rustic bunny napkin rings.  

TASTY TREATS:

Lou Lou Girls shared a recipe for healthy chocolate mini bundt cakes.  

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button.  You can find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header.  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes, etc.  I will keep this link open through Friday.

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers as well).

2.  Please link back to the party.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have, and the more views your posts will receive.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4.  Please visit others who have linked up.  Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

How to Update a Bookcase

I bought wrapping paper at Home Goods weeks ago knowing exactly what I planned on using it for. 

I planned on updating the bookcase in my daughter's room.  For starters it was really cluttered.

The first thing I did was empty the entire bookcase and then flipped the middle shelf because it had warped from the weight of the books over the years.  Once flipped it was perfectly straight again.

Then I cut the wrapping paper to size and adhered it using double sided tape on the corners and middle.  

Then I selectively decided what was going back.  I also bought two magazine holders at Home Goods and used those to store some of the books just to add more visual appeal rather than clutter.

In less than a half hour the bookcase was looking so much better.  I love a quick and easy project!!

Rumor has it the weather might actually warm up a little bit here in New York.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Have a great day.

-Judy

Swing into Spring - It's a Party #213

Welcome to this week's Swing into Spring party.

Last week's party was filled with so many awesome ideas and inspiration.

Here are this week's features:

HOME DECOR:

A Stroll Thru Life  shared her gorgeous living room makeover.  LOVE the new drapes!

Mama in Heels shared her stunning bathroom makeover.  

FURNITURE TRANSFORMATIONS:

Victoria's Vintage Designs transformed a french provincial tall dresser.  Beautiful.  

CRAFTY CREATIONS:

Annemarie's Haakblog shares a tutorial on how to create these super cute crochet bunnies.

TASTY TREATS:

Just Following Jesus shared a recipe for orange sour cream pound cake.  

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button.  You can find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header.  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes, etc.  I will keep this link open through Friday.

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers as well).

2.  Please link back to the party.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have, and the more views your posts will receive.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4.  Please visit others who have linked up.  Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.